"Reading and information literacy are more important than ever in the digital age," Dr. Yvonne Kammerer opened the library directors' conference at the Regierungspräsidium Karlsruhe on April 15. The IWM scientist had been invited by the Regierungspräsidium to inform the heads of the public libraries in the Karlsruhe area about current findings in reading research. At the IWM, Dr. Yvonne Kammerer investigates how information on the internet is searched, read and evaluated. She is a co-signatory of the Stavanger Declaration "On the Future of Reading". In her lecture, the psychologist presented, among other things, the results of a current meta-analysis on the differences between analogue and digital reading. Especially when reading digitally readers tend to read more superficially. Sources of web content are rarely taken into account. Libraries could take a targeted approach and promote reading and information literacy through their own didactic offerings or in cooperation with schools.

The conference offered participants an interface between research and library practice. "It was interesting for the library directors to learn about the results of research on reading and information literacy," comments Dr. Yvonne Kammerer. "The conference also addressed other topics that are relevant for us at the IWM, such as promotion of MINT subjects".